Air conditioning apparatus



Oct. 6, 1931. L. w. YMELCHER AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUSA Fi1ed`sept. 2.195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 *NUI jaa/@zato LGSS Oct. 6, 1931. L. w. MELCHERAIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Patented Oct. 6,- 1931 I LEE W. MELCHER. OFWINNETKA, ILLINOS AIR. CONDITIONING .APPARATUS Application led September2, 1930. Serial No. 479,227.

The invention relatewgenerally to air con-` ditioning app'aratus. oreparticularly the invention relates to that type of apparatus which isdesigned to condition the air in a railway car and comprises a filter, afan for drawing air through the filter and delivering the filteredairinto the car, and a refrigerating unit for cooling the filtered airprior to delivery into the car.

One abject of the invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatusof this type which is in the nature of an attachment and is soconstructed and arranged that it may be readily applied to a railway carof standard i5 design without substantial change in the construction ofthe car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the typeunderf consideration in which the .refrigerating unit is 2o supported sothat it may be readily removed from the filter and fan for repair orreplacement purposes;

A further object of the invention is to' prolvide an air conditioningapparatus of the l last mentioned character in which the filter isspaced from the fan so fasto form a pocket therebetween and therefrigerant line of the refrigerating unit is disposed in the pocket soas to cool the air after passage thereof ac through the filter. i y

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forconditioning air which is generally of new and improved construction andmay be manufacturedk at a low and reasonable cost, and in which removtached therefrom; t

note corresponding. parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in end'elevation,illustrating an apparatus embodying the invention applied'to a rail' 55Y way car;

Fig. 2 is a sideview ofthe apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an endelevation of the filter and fan after the refrigeratingunit has been de- Fig. 4 is an end elevation o; the refrigerating unit,the closure plate of the gear-case of the unit being removed; i

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic'plan view showing a railway car equipped with aplurality of air conditioning apparatuses embodying the invention; and

Fig. 6is a vertical section of the car.'

The air conditioning apparatus which forms the subject matter of theinvention is designed primarily for use in connection with a railway carof standard construction. The car which is illustrated in the drawingsis designated by the letter A and comprises a fioor a and a pair ofhollow side sills a and a2. A series of pipes b of standard constructionis located adjacent the lower portion of each side sill. During coldweather, steam is supplied to these pipes in order to/heat the car, aswell understood in the art.

The apparatus is in the nature of an attachment and comprises a fan andan air filter. It is designed to be placed under the car-body and issuspended from a plate d which is secured beneath iioor a of the car inany suitable manner. The fan operates to draw air through the filter andto deliver the filtered air into the car and/comprises a casing 10 and a'fan-wheel 11. The fan-casing 10 is formed of cast metal and is providedat the upper end thereof with a flange 12. The latter is secured bybolts 13 to the plate d and forms with the bolts a connection wherebythefan is detachably suspended from the bottom of the railway car. Thefan-wheel 11 is disposed Ain the casing and is secured to the armatureshaft 14 of an electric motor 15. The casing of this motor is providedwith a flange 16 which is secured by bolts 17 to theinncrside of thefan-casing 10. The

other side of the fan-casing is provided with an e e 18. Duringoperation of the motor 15, t e fan-wheel 11 is driven and operates todraw air through the eye 18 and to discharge the air upwardly through anoutlet duct 19 in the fan-casing.

The air-filter is removably secured in a housing 20. This housing ispositioned in front of the fan and is provided at 'the inner sidethereof with a flange 21. The latter, fits around a flan e 22 which isformed integrally with the an-'casing and defines the eye 18. The filteris self-contained and comprises a rectangular frame 23, a mass offibrous filter-material 24, such as hair, and sheets and 26 of wiregauze. The frame fits removably in the outer side portion of the housing2O and serves to hold the sheets 25 and 26 in spaced relation. Thefilter-material 24 isA confined between the sheets. The filter isusually dipped in fric oil to cause the impurities in the air passingtherethrough to adhere to the fibrous material and the wire gauze sheets25 and 26. fBeing removably held in the outer side portion of thehousing 20, the filter can be easily cleansed in a solution of soda andwater or any suitable mixture and thenydipped in light oil and replacedin the housing. Air is drawn throuv h the filterfrom the outer sidethereof an into the eye 18 of the fan, and cleaned as it passes throughthe filtermaterial so it will be delivered by the fan through the outletduct 19 in filtered form'.

A hood 27 is removably secured tothe outer side of the housing 2O andsupports a series of shutters 28. The latter are supported 4pivotally bythe housing so they may e opened or closed tocontrol the ingress of airrom the outside of the car to the filter. Any suitable mechanism may beemployed to control this series of shutters. In some instances, for examle in cold weather, it is desirable to cut o some or all of the air fromthe outside and to draw air from the car. .For this purpose, a pipe '30is con; nected to the to of the hood 27. This pi e extends upward ythrough an opening in t e plate d and projects into the space betweenthe inner and outer side walls of the side sill` a. The pipe 30receivesair' from the car through an opening 31 in the inner side wallof the sill a. This opening is located adjacent the roof of the car andis controlled by a series of shutters 31. In cold weather, it isdesirable to draw some or all of the air from the inside of the car inlieu of drawing all of it from the outside. Any suitable controllingmechanism may be provided for the shutters 28 and 31. By regulating theopenings between the shutters 28and 31, the air entering the filter vmaybe controlled so that all or a portion of the air may be taken eitherfrom the `outside o r from theinside of the car. During Warmweather, theshutof the car-body. An open-ended shield b is placed over a portion ofthe pipes b ad- "jacent the duct 34 to cause the air to passlongitudinally of said pipes before it is discharged into the car. Adeflector 35 in rluct 34 directs the air longitudinally of the pipes inopposite directions. When steam is supplied to the pipes b, the airlfrom the fan will be heated in passing along said pipes and before itpasses out of the ends of the shield into the car.

In addition to the fanand air filter, the apparatus comprises arefrigerating unit for cooling the air in Warm weather. This unit issupported removably from the fan-casing 10 and comprises a compressor38. The latter is of usual construction and is contained `in a casing 39which is provided at the upper endrthereof with a flange 40. This flangeis secured by boltsy41 to a flange 37 on the bottom of the `fan-casing10 and formswith the bolts a connection whereby the refrigerating unitis supported removably from the fan-casing. A gear-case 42 is associatedwith the compressor casing 39. The compressor is driven by an electricmotor 43. This motor embodies a housing which is provided with a fiange44. The latter is secured by bolts 45 to the gear-case 42. Thecompressor is driven by the motor through the medium of a sprocket 46which is fixed on the armature shaft 47 of the motor and drives a chain48. The chain drives a sprocket 49 which is fixed to the crank shaft 50of the compressor. The sprockets 46 and 49 and the chain 48 are,contained in the gear-case 42 and are aecessible for repair orreplacement purposes through an opening which is normally closed by aremovable plate 52. A pipe54 is provided with a suitable control valveand receive refrigerant from the high-pressure side of the compressor38. This pipe conduct-s the refrigerant to a condenser coil 56 lUl)which is contained in an open housing or frame 57 on the bottomportionaof the compressor casing 39. A pipe 58 delivers the cooledrefrigerant to an expansion-valve 59.

An expansion coil of the radiator type comprises upper and' lower heads60 and con necting pipes 6l and is disposed, in the filterhousing 20between the filter/and the eye of the fans'o that thel air, afterpassing through the filter, will be cooled in transit to the fan whilethe `refrig'erating unit is in operation. The upper head 60 is connectedto the expansion valve 59. The expansion coil issupported on anextension of the flange of the compressor-casing so that it forms a partof the refrigerating unit and extends upwardly through an opening 62 inthe bottom of the housing into the space between the filter Aand fan. Itis removable from the housing 20 when the unit is disconnected ordetached from the fan-easing 15. The lower head is connected by a pipe63 to the low-pressure side of the compressor.

plate 64 extends over the outer side portion of the compressor and theparts connected thereto to prevent them from being damaged l by movingobjects. The entire refrigerating unit, including-the compressor, motor,condenser coll, expansion coil and pipe connections, are securedtogether. Whenever 1t 1s desired to dispense wlth the refrigerating unitor to remove it for repair, it is only necessary to detach the unit fromthe fancasing by loosening the bolts 41. Theexpansion coil whilesupported on the cornpressor-casing is free to be. lowered through theopening 62 in the filter housing 20. This makes it possible in event ofa repair being necessary, to remove quickly the refrigerating unit andreplace it with another.

If it is desired to use the fan and filter unit without therefrigerating unit, the unit is` removed and a plate l66 is secured tothe fan casing 10 by a bolt 66a. This plate will close the opening 62 inthe housing 20 so that the fan will be effective to draw air directlythrough the filter.

The motor '15 for the fan and the motor 43 for the refrigerating unit,are supplied with current by means of a pair of lineconductors v7() and71.j The motor 15 is connected to the conductor 7 0 by a branchconductor 72 which lincludes a control switch 68. The latter is mountedwithin the car so that the unit may be controlled from within. 'Thebranch conductor 73 is connected to the motor 43 and serves to connectthe latter to the conductor 71 so as to complete the circuit for the lmotor 43.

The operation is as follows:

When the air is too warm for the comfort of the passengers in therailway car A, the conductor or any other attendant of the car willclose the switches 68 and 69 to cause both Vthe ltan and therefrigerating unit to operate so as to cause cooled and filtered air tobe circulated through the car. When the temperature of the air is suchthat cooling is unnecessary, the refrigerating unit may be leftinoperative while the filter and fan unit frigerating unit may beremoved entirely or v left inoperative, so that the cleaned or filteredair fromthe fan 11, drawn either from the car through duct or fromoutside the car or both, will be forced around and heated by the pipes bbefore it is discharged into the car. The air will at all times becleaned by the filter 24.

They herein described air conditioning apparatus may be manufactured ata comparatively low cost by virtue of they fact that it consists of buta comparatively small number of parts. It is compact and operatesefficiently to supply either cleaned warm or cold air into therailwayvcar with which it is used. Inasmuch as the refrigerating unit isremovably supported with respect to the fancasing, it is possibleentirely to dispense with the use of the refrigerating unit simply bydetaching the unit and closing the opening 62 by means'of the plate 66.I

It desired, the air within the railway car may be conditioned by aofroup or battery of apparatuses embodying tthe invention. In the eventthat more than one apparatus is used, the motors are connected totheconductors 7 0 and 71 so that they are individually controllable (seeFig. 5 of the drawings).

Whereas the'apparatus which forms the subject matter of theinvention hasbeen described as being adapted primarily for use in connection with arailway car, it is to be understood that it may be used with othervehicles or with whatever it has utility. lt is also to be understoodthat the invention is not to be restricted to the ydetails set forth,since these may be modified within the scope ot the appended claims,without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In an air conditioning apparatus o' the character described, thecombination ot a supporting structure, Aan airfilter supported on thestructure, a motor-driven fan also sup ported on the structure andoperative `to torce air through the filter and to discharge the filteredair under pressure, and a refrigerating unit connected detachably to thesupporting structure and comprising a compressor and a refrigerant linepositioned to cool the air'forced through the filter by the fan andadapted to be removed from its operative position upon detachment of theunit from the supporting structure.

2. In an air conditioning apparatus ot the character described, thecombination ot a supporting structure, an air filter supported ou thestructure, a motor-driven fan also sup- Vso 5 vporting structure andcomprising a motordriven compressor and a refrigerant line positionedbetween the filter` and the fan to cool the filtered air prior todischarge by the fan and adapted to be removed from its o rativeposition upon detachment of the re rigcrating unit from the supportingstructure.

3. In an air conditioning apparatus of the character described, thecombinationof a supporting structure including a housing having aninlet, an air filter mounted in the housing,

j a motor-driven fan supported on the structure and operative todraw`air into the heus'- ing and through the filter and to discharge thefiltered air under pressure, and a refrigeratingunit connecteddetachably to the supportmg structure. and comprising a motordrivencompressor and a refrigerant line connected to the compressor andextending through an opening in the housing into an operative positionWithin the housing Wherein it is disposed between the filter and the fanand operates to cool the filtered air prior to discharge by the fan,said refrigerant line being removable from its operative positionthrough the openin@r in the housing upon detachment of therefi'igerating unit from the supporting structure.

4. In an air conditioning apparatus of the character described,`thecombination of an air filter, a motor-driven fan embodying a casing andarranged to force air through the filter and to discharge the filteredair under pressure, and a refrigerating unit connected detachably to thefan-casing and comprising a refrigerat-ing unit connected detachably tothe fan-Casin comprising a compressor and a refrigerant ine extendingthrough an openin `in the housing into a position wherein it is tweenthe filter and the fan and serves to cool the filtered airprior todischarge by the fan, said line being removable from within the housingthrough the opening upon detachment of the unit from the fan-casing.

7. The combination with a railway car, of an air filter mounted underthe body of the car, a motor-driven fan also mounted under the car-bodyand connected to force air through the filter and to discharge thefiltered air into the car under pressure, and an independentrefrigerating unit supported detachably under the body of the car andcomprising a compressor and a refrigerant line connected to thecompressor and positioned to cool the air prior to delivery into the carby the fan.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 12th day of I August, 1930.

, LEE W. MELCHER.v

a compressor and a refrigerant line vpositioned to cool the air prior todischarge by the fan and adapted to be removed from its operativeposition upon detachment of the unit from the fan-cas1n 5. In an airconrIitioning a paratus of the character described, the com ination ofan air filter, a motor-driven fan embodying a casing and positioned soas to force air through thefilterand to discharge the filtered air underpressure, a refrigerating unit comprising a motor-'driven compressor anda refrigerant line connected to the compressor.

and arranged to cool the air prior to discharge by the fan, and adetachable Nconnection between the compressor and the fan-casing wherebythe refrigerating unit is'held in supplrtd relation with 'respect tothefilter and t e an.

6. In an air conditioning apparatus of the i character described, thecombination of a supportmgstructure comprising a housing havlng aninlet, an air filter mounted in the hous- ,ing, a motor-driven fan forfdrawing air into the housing and through the filter embodying afan-casing connected to the housing, and

